Thomas Holland (Jesuit)

Thomas Holland, SJ (1600 at Sutton, Lancashire – executed 12 December 1642 at Tyburn) was an English Jesuit priest.

[1] When the abortive negotiations for the "Spanish Match" were taking place in 1623, Holland was sent to Madrid to assure Prince Charles of the loyalty of the seminarists of Valladolid, which he did in a Latin oration.

[3] He took the missionary oath 29 December 1633 and served as minister at Ghent and prefect at St. Omer's, where he acquired the nickname, bibliotheca pietatis ("Library of Piety") because of his vast knowledge of the ascetical life.

[3] He made his solemn religious profession as spiritual coadjutor at Ghent (28 May 1634) and was sent on the English mission the following year, in hopes that the change might improve his health.

There was no conclusive evidence as to this; but as he refused to swear he was not, the jury found him guilty,[1] to the indignation of the Lord Mayor, Isaac Penington, and another member of the bench named Garroway.